IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/entreg/v16y2004i2p87-106.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Networking, trust and embeddedness amongst SMEs in the Aberdeen oil complex

Author

Listed:
  • Danny Mackinnon
  • Keith Chapman
  • Andrew Cumbers

Abstract

Over the last decade or so, networking has become a ‘vogue concept’ in small business research, connecting with wider debates on learning and regional development. Participation in inter-firm networks is seen to provide small firms with access to a broader pool of resources and knowledge, helping them to overcome size-related disadvantages. In particular, the role of such networks as channels for innovation and learning within regions and localities has been emphasized in the context of an apparent shift towards a knowledge-driven economy. In this paper, we provide an empirically-grounded analysis of networking, trust and embeddedness amongst small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Aberdeen oil complex. Drawing upon survey and interview data, it is argued that connections to extra-local networks play a crucial role in providing access to wider sources of information and knowledge. At the same time, an Aberdeen location still matters to oil-related firms because of the access it offers to crucial forms of industry-specific information and expertise. In concurring with recent calls for more empirically-grounded research which seeks to ‘test’ theoretical propositions against relevant data, we suggest in conclusion that a combination of firm surveys and face-to-face interviews provides an appropriate way forward.

Suggested Citation

  • Danny Mackinnon & Keith Chapman & Andrew Cumbers, 2004. "Networking, trust and embeddedness amongst SMEs in the Aberdeen oil complex," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 87-106, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:16:y:2004:i:2:p:87-106
    DOI: 10.1080/08985620410001677826
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/08985620410001677826
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/08985620410001677826?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bönte, Werner, 2008. "Inter-firm trust in buyer-supplier relations: Are knowledge spillovers and geographical proximity relevant?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 67(3-4), pages 855-870, September.
    2. Nikhil Ghag & Padmanav Acharya & Vivekanand Khanapuri, 2022. "Prioritizing the Challenges Faced in Achieving International Competitiveness by Export-Oriented Indian SMEs: a DEMATEL Approach," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 12-24, December.
    3. Juan Manuel Ramon-Jeronimo & Raquel Florez-Lopez & Pedro Araujo-Pinzon, 2019. "Resource-Based View and SMEs Performance Exporting through Foreign Intermediaries: The Mediating Effect of Management Controls," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-26, June.
    4. Paul, Justin & Parthasarathy, Sundar & Gupta, Parul, 2017. "Exporting challenges of SMEs: A review and future research agenda," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 327-342.
    5. Darbi, William Phanuel Kofi & Knott, Paul, 2016. "Strategising practices in an informal economy setting: A case of strategic networking," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 400-413.
    6. Jacob Salder & John Bryson & Julian Clark, 2024. "The decoupling effect and shifting assemblages of English regionalism: Economic governance, politics and firm-state relations," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 42(3), pages 437-457, May.
    7. Andy Cumbers & Danny MacKinnon, 2004. "Introduction: Clusters in Urban and Regional Development," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 41(5-6), pages 959-969, May.
    8. Houghton, Susan M. & Smith, Anne D. & Hood, Jacqueline N., 2009. "The influence of social capital on strategic choice: An examination of the effects of external and internal network relationships on strategic complexity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(12), pages 1255-1261, December.
    9. Isaac Desta & Abel Tedla & Dawit Zerom, 2015. "Entrepreneurial Networks And Growth In Female-Owned Businesses: Evidence From Small And Medium Scale Enterprises In Eritrea," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(04), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Goerzen, Anthony, 2018. "Small Firm Boundary-spanning via Bridging Ties: Achieving International Connectivity via Cross-border Inter-cluster Alliances," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 153-164.
    11. Graciela Corral De Zubielqui & Janice Jones & Laurence Lester, 2017. "KNOWLEDGE INFLOWS FROM MARKET- AND SCIENCE-BASED ACTORS, ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY, INNOVATION AND PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF SMEs," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Joe Tidd (ed.), Promoting Innovation in New Ventures and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises, chapter 15, pages 359-391, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    12. Yusuf, Yahaya Y. & Gunasekaran, Angappa & Musa, Ahmed & Dauda, Mohammed & El-Berishy, Nagham M. & Cang, Shuang, 2014. "A relational study of supply chain agility, competitiveness and business performance in the oil and gas industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(PB), pages 531-543.
    13. Idris, Bochra & Saridakis, George, 2018. "Local formal interpersonal networks and SMEs internationalisation: Empirical evidence from the UK," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 610-624.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:16:y:2004:i:2:p:87-106. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/TEPN20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.